1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to package seals and more particularly to apparatus for heat sealing the open end of a cellophane candy wrapper twisted around the periphery of a sucker stick.
It is common practice for cleanliness and health reasons to package hard candy, commonly known as suckers, on an elongated rod or handle, commonly called a sucker stick. The stick is formed of any suitable material which may be wood or a cylinder rolled from cellulose.
Candy suckers are a popular confectionery, particularly with children, and by mass production, most candy suckers are encapsulated in their entirety by their containers. However, novelty candy sucker items, particularly those formed from hard candy, having considerably more mass than the standard relatively small spherical or disk-shaped sucker as well as a decorative appearance sometimes depicting an unusual shape require that each individual sucker stick equipped sucker be individually packaged in a flexible wall preferably transparent container. The open or mouth end of each container must then be sealed, preferably in a wraparound-around or twisted action, with that portion of the sucker stick projecting beyond the candy on one end thereof. Of a necessity such candy wrappers are usually of greater wall thickness than the candy wrapper of suckers constructed and packaged by mass production methods.
This invention provides an apparatus which accomodates the individual wrapping of novelty item suckers.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art generally discloses apparatus such as angularly rotating mandrels for twisting the open or mouth ends of flexible containers, such as bread wrappers. The twisted end of each such container receives a suitable clip or fastener to maintain the wrapper closed.
The apparatus of this invention is distinctive over such patents by heat sealing the candy wrapper open or mouth end to the periphery of the sucker stick in spaced-apart relation relative to the candy mounted on one end portion of the stick.